Along Comes an Angel
by Pip3
Summary: While Dean was dead, Sam sought comfort in a boyfriend instead of Ruby. When Dean came back, Sam packed up and went with his big brother again and sees his boyfriend when he can. Castiel wants to save him.
1. Chapter 1

_Dislaimer: This story is not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by Warner Bros., Eric Kripke, or any individual or entity associated with Supernatural._

"Sammy, I don't get it. You could totally waste the guy without any effort." Dean was filling an ice pack to hold to Sam's shoulder. He'd come back to the motel with a big red mark on his back that was going to be a bruise by tomorrow.

"That's kind of exactly why I don't do anything. I don't want to kill him. He just gets frustrated because of he long distance thing. We only get to see each other when you and I are near for a hunt." Sam pushed his hair out of his face, knowing he sounded ridiculous defending his boyfriend. He also knew Dean wouldn't do anything about it without Sam's permission, the same way he let Sam deal with bullies in school.

"Yeah, I just don't understand why you keep coming back." Dean grumbled. His tone was rougher than his hands as he gently pressed the icepack onto Sam's back.

"You were dead and he was there. I can't… I can't explain it." Sam sighed. He was saved from having to try by a rustling breeze and the appearance of their new angel.

"Dean, Sam…" Castiel greeted with a nod. His gaze stayed on Sam and his head tilted in thought. Sam almost felt itchy under the scrutiny and he looked down, letting his hair cover his face.

"Jeez, Cas. Can't you just stand outside and knock like a normal person?"

Castiel's reaction was to narrow his eyes and then turn to walk out of the room, but Sam reached out to grab the corner of his trench coat.

"Cas, you don't have to- just… Dean was just surprised."

Castiel nodded tightly and stopped his motion to leave.

"You are injured."

"Oh! It's nothing, really. Just a misunderstanding." Sam's face burned as he looked around for the shirt he'd discarded earlier.

"With Dean?"

"No, his dickbag boyfriend." Dean threw a random shirt at Sam, who gratefully slipped it on. Sam didn't know what the expression on Castiel's face meant, but it made him feel like he was sitting under a microscope.

"Just forget about it." He whispered to the angel. He knew Castiel wouldn't forget, but he hoped he'd at least pretend to.

"Very well. I come with news about the seals."

Castiel took two steps towards Dean and his hand came down on Sam's shoulder in a way that looked casual, but Sam couldn't help the small sigh of relief when the pain disappeared from his back. Neither Sam nor Castiel acknowledged the healing that had happened, but Sam was grateful for it anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

A month later, Castiel was working very closely with the brothers. If the angel required sleep at all, they'd be getting rooms with an added trundle or roll away bed.

"Cas, I think you're great and all… but if I don't get some down time, I'm going to start punching walls." Dean told the angel who was sitting in the backseat of the Impala. Sam snorted a small laugh

"Well, I could stay near Sam and-"

"Fat chance, buddy. He's texting and we're in Maryland."

"I don't understand."

"Sorry, Cas. I'm going out tonight. But I promise I'll be back tomorrow and we can get down to researching the next seal. You'll have me all day." Sam twisted in his seat to give Castiel and apologetic smile.

"I could come with you."

"Ah no, Cas. I'm going to meet up with my boyfriend."

"Is this the boyfriend who has abused you in the past?" Castiel narrowed his eyes, a close look would find fire in them.

Dean raised his eyebrows and looked at Sam, waiting to hear what Sam's response to the angel would be. Castiel had only seen the one mark the last time they were in this part of the country, but Dean had been dealing with his brother's abusive relationship since his return from Hell. The part that got him was that there was nothing he could do about it without losing his brother at the same time. He felt like he was failing in his job as big brother every time Sam came back with a black eye or hand shaped marks on his skin.

Sam's mouth opened and shut a few times, reminiscent of a fish out of water, before he found his voice.

"It's not… he doesn't… I can take care of myself. Thank you for your concern, Cas. It's not needed." Sam pursed his lips and glared at Dean when his older brother couldn't keep his 'hmmph' to himself.

And around 2am, Sam was forced to swallow his pride and call Dean for a ride to the motel when his boyfriend ditched him. Unfortunately Dean was too intoxicated to drive.

"Sammy, hang on. Cas will come and get you, okay? Just… stay in one place." Dean wanted to kick himself. He knew something was going to happen and he should have just stayed sober while Sam was meeting up with the douchebag. He hung up the phone and turned to the angel.

"Cas? Can you-"

"I heard. I will retrieve Sam."

"Thanks." Dean dropped to the bed as if his bones had turned to mush.

"Dean, this isn't your fault."

"Yeah, I know… I keep telling myself that. Still feels like it, though. Just… bring my brother home, okay?"

Castiel nodded and disappeared, letting his grace seek out the younger Winchester. When he appeared, he found them standing in front of a gas station.

"Cas! Wow, that was fast. I'm sorry about this. I just… didn't have money for a cab." Sam smiled weakly and waved one hand as he spoke. He always seemed to add to his speech with his hands. Castiel had taken note of it before, but he noticed Sam only moved one hand this time.

Castiel reached out for Sam's right arm, which was cradled gently against his torso. He stopped when Sam flinched away slightly.

"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Yeah, I know." He held still and let the angel take his arm. He cringed at Castiel's sharp glance.

"It's broken."

"Please, don't tell Dean. He'll kill him. It was my fault this time, really. And I let it happen. I didn't stop him and I could have. You know I could have. I'm not helpless. I just… he's not always like this. When we get more than a day or two, he really does calm down. And he loves me." Sam was rambling, he knew.

"Sam, this isn't love." Castiel lightly ran his fingers over the the arm, healing the broken bone and taking Sam's pain away. Sam jerked his arm away as if he'd been burned.

"How would you even know?"

Castiel closed his eyes and sighed. Sam deflated, the quick anger gone as fast as it had flared up.

"Sorry, Cas. He… wasn't always like this. When Dean came back, I kinda just up and left… he didn't want a long distance relationship and I didn't give him a choice. It's not his fault."

"I told your brother I would bring you back. Please…" Castiel held up two fingers and hesitated until Sam nodded and then pressed them to his head and transported them both back to the motel room.

Upon their arrival, Dean jumped up from the bed grabbed Sam. He patted him all over, checking his limbs and his face.

"You're okay?" He asked. Sam nodded his lie and Castiel didn't speak up to deny it.


	3. Chapter 3

Twice Castiel had seen the effects of Sam's boyfriend left on Sam's body. He didn't want to see it a third time. He'd seen the fallout with Sam's brother, Dean. He'd seen the pain on Dean's face when he couldn't do anything to stop Sam or protect him from the violence that happened when Dean wasn't there to stop it.

Castiel could stop the boyfriend. He had the power and the grace. He could stop Sam from seeing the boyfriend. But he knew force was not the way to go if he wanted Sam to trust or care about him still.

And he did want Sam's trust and care. This was a truth he had come to realize during his month spent with the brothers to protect one particular seal.

"Cas?"

The angel glanced up. He hadn't realized he was now standing in the Winchester's motel room when he'd just been standing on the roof of a church a moment ago in deep thought. This was apparently where his thoughts brought him.

"Sam. I'm sorry for the intrusion. Are you well?" He'd not seen the brothers for over a week and he now looked over Sam with a clinical eye.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Dean's out at a bar right now. So what brings you here?" Sam was shoving his laptop into a bag, going about his business as if it wasn't unusual for an angel of the lord to just appear in your bedroom.

"You."

"Sorry? Me?" Sam turned and gave Castiel a confused smile.

"I enjoy spending time with you, Sam. Our conversations are interesting to me and your presence is pleasing." Castiel wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say. Sam's sudden blush was, Castiel decided, a pleasing thing to see. And the shy smile that he'd never seen on Sam's face before was something he wanted to see more of.

"I… well, thanks. I like hanging out with you too. But we just finished up a hunt, so I don't have any research I'm doing or anything."

"Research is not required. Friendly conversation is enjoyable."

That seemed good enough for Sam, as he set his bag back down and sat in a relaxed and reclined position on the bed.

"Okay… just hanging out then."

They spent the night talking. Sam had so many questions he'd never had the chance to ask before. What Heaven is like for angels, how long Castiel had been alive, about all the different things he'd seen throughout history.

He left Sam with a smile and vowed to himself that he would return as many times as it took for Sam to not feel the need to return to his boyfriend, but stay with Castiel instead.

So Castiel returned a few nights later. The boys were on a hunt and Sam let Castiel help him out with the research.

And a few days after that.

And a few days after that.

When Castiel returned again, he found they were in the same motel he'd seen them at before on the east coast where Sam's boyfriend lived.

"Hey Cas." Sam greeted. He was standing in front of the mirror fixing a tie.

"You are going to see him again." Castiel frowned. Sam laughed.

"Well, yeah. We didn't break up or anything, so of course I'm going. We're having a real date tonight, for once. Sorry, I can't hang out tonight."

"Why? Why must you still see him?" Castiel's voice was raised. The smell of ozone filled the room as he tried to hold in his frustration.

"He's my boyfriend." Sam's voice was almost challenging.

"But you could be so much happier."

"I don't need a lecture. I don't need an intervention. It's none of your business, Cas."

"It is my business! I care about you, Sam Winchester. I don't want this for you. You deserve better." Castiel felt helpless as he argued and Sam looked almost sad when he smiled at him.

"But I really don't."

Sam walked out of the room and left Castiel alone until Dean came back and found him there.

"Sam already leave?" Because coming home and finding an angel in a trench coat where you left your brother was really not surprising to him anymore.

"Yes. I don't understand."

"I know. I thought with the way you two had been hanging all over each other-" Dean shrugged, "But he's got this thought in his head that I can't get him to forget."

Castiel's breath caught in his throat. He felt that if he were a human, he'd have choked on it.

"You thought what?"

"Well, he'd had this huge angel bo- crush since he first met you. And then the way you guys were so buddy buddy, I thought maybe he'd forget about his dickbag of a boyfriend and go after you. I don't know if you guys even do that kind of stuff, but it would have at least kept Sam away from here."

"And the thought in his head?"

"Yeah, kid's got it in his mind that he's… tainted. You know… the whole 'the boy with the demon blood' that you laid on him he first time you met. He thinks he's not good enough to even be around you and he'll… I don't know… put a black spot on your lily white grace or something."

Dean kicked his duffel on the ground, a way to keep his body moving as he spoke. Castiel saw it for what it was. Dean didn't like deep discussions. Didn't like dealing with emotion. And it was unavoidable when talking about his younger brother.

"What do we do?"

"I usually do one of two things. I either drink until I forget some asshole might be pounding on my brother… or I wait for him to come back and then take care of him. And every time, hope it will be the last time." And with that, Dean grabbed the tv remote and turned on the television. Castiel sat down on Sam's bed and watched with Dean, using his grace to remain on alert.


	4. Chapter 4

It was just a whisper. A wish without words. But it was enough for Castiel to take action. He flew out of the room without explanation. He knew Dean wouldn't need one anyway.

His grace locked on Sam and he found himself in a bedroom. He assessed the situation quickly. Sam was sitting on the floor in his boxers and a torn undershirt. His other clothes were in a pile next to the bed.

Standing over Sam was the man Castiel assumed to be the boyfriend. He'd already struck Sam, he could see, and it didn't look like Sam was raising a hand to stop him.

The hand was raised and Sam's eyes were closed, expecting a blow that would never come. Castiel grabbed the arm poised to strike Sam.

"What the-?" The man whirled around, surprised to see someone else in his room.

"You will not harm Sam Winchester." Cas growled. He raised his fingers to the man's head and knocked him out with a touch. He let him fall to the floor.

"Cas? How… I mean why…? Is he dead?" Sam looked up at him, eyes filled with hope and shame.

"He is just unconscious. I heard your prayer." Castiel crouched down so he was eye level with Sam. Confusion was added to the other emotions swimming in those brown eyes.

"But I didn't… I didn't pray."

"Not consciously. Not with words."

"Oh." And the confusion changed to understanding. "For a moment… I wished I'd just stayed at the motel with you."

"I wish that too." Castiel grasped Sam's hands and helped him stand. He looked over his body for injuries. The first and most obvious was the swelling redness around Sam's neck. He started to reach towards it, but Sam's flinch stopped him.

"That… yeah, the tie…" Sam's head ducked and his hair fell to cover his eyes.

"Let me heal you, Sam." Castiel pleaded. Sam nodded silently and let the angel's cool fingers take away his pains. The room was silent then, as Sam gathered his clothes and got dressed.

"Sam-"

"Please, Cas… don't. I get it. And, no… I'm not coming back here again. Turns out… all those times he accused me of cheating, he was instead. Heh…" If it weren't for the break in his voice or the tears filling his eyes, maybe he'd have been able to pass that off as casual dismissal.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I truly am. You deserve so much better."

Sam finished buttoning his top shirt and turned to face Castiel again.

"You said that before. Why do you keep saying that?" Desperation filled his voice. Castiel didn't know what he needed, but all he had was the truth.

"I say it because it's true. I don't understand why you don't believe it. I want you to have better. I want to be the one to make it better for you."

"Cas, do you even know what you are saying? I don't think you do."

Castiel reached up and cradled Sam's face in both of his hands.

"Yes… I do."

"Why? I'm not worth it. Cas, I'm… I've got demon blood in me. I'm disgusting and dark. How can you even stand to be around me?" He was trembling, holding back a tidal wave of emotions.

"Sam, my Father created you and you are amazing. I see your soul and it is bright and blinding… light. And I love you. No demon could infect you enough to make you look anything less than beautiful to me."

Something inside Sam broke. His knees buckled and Castiel almost wasn't fast enough to catch him. But he held the taller man against his chest and felt the wet tears soak through his shirt. After five minutes of almost silent tears, Sam finally pulled away.

"Okay… yeah…" Sam gave a small smile and breathed a deep shuddering breath. "But… not right now. I need… I don't…."

"I understand. I have lived thousands of years, Sam. I could wait thousands more if I had to."

Sam almost started crying again as if every loving word and gesture made him realize over again how bad his relationship had been. That combined with the relief of never having to go through it again was a little overwhelming.

Castiel wanted to take him away from this place and never look back.

"Let's get you home, Sam."

End


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